Submitted by Jeff Leiper, Kitchissippi ward councillor
Greetings, Kitchissippi! As winter approaches and we prepare to enjoy all the cross-country skiing and neighbourhood rinks it has to offer, I have a few updates to share.
I want to thank everyone who participated in the Budget 2024 consultation that my office held in conjunction with Wards 14 and 17. As always, I appreciate your feedback and engagement. The draft budget will be tabled at council on Nov. 8. After that, you can continue to ask questions about the budget through the Engage Ottawa website, follow the progress of the draft budget through the various standing committee meetings – where you can always register as a delegate to share your opinions on the draft budget with committee members – or write to me to share your thoughts. The 2024 budget will be tabled for approval on Dec. 6.
I couldn’t include this in my October column, but I wanted to briefly mention that I was proud to attend the renaming of the parkway on Sept. 30. The parkway is now called the Kichi Zibi Mikan. The name was selected by the NCC after consultation with Indigenous leaders and community members; it means “great river road” in Algonquin. This is a positive change for Ottawa that acknowledges the history of the land we are privileged to call home.
If you’re looking for a local Remembrance Day ceremony to attend, don’t forget about the ceremony and wreath-laying at 2:00 p.m. at the Westboro Cenotaph on Nov. 11.
I also wanted to give an early heads-up that the final Parkdale Night Market of 2023 will be on Dec. 6. This will be a great opportunity to get your holiday shopping done and support local vendors, so don’t miss out! I know that many community groups around Kitchissippi host holiday events throughout November and December; please send my office notice of any upcoming events so we can spread the word through the Ward Newsletter!